The loophole that keeps a Trump loyalist as L.A.’s federal prosecutor

Key Points:

• Bill Essayli, a Trump loyalist, serves as the de facto U.S. attorney in Los Angeles under the title "first assistant," bypassing Senate confirmation and surviving legal challenges through DOJ tactics and judicial inaction.
• Essayli has aggressively prosecuted protesters, activists, and immigrants while supporting administration-aligned cases, though his office has struggled with courtroom losses and dropped cases against anti-Trump protesters.
• Federal judges in the Central District of California, notably Chief Judge Dolly M. Gee, have not appointed an interim U.S. attorney despite vacancies, drawing criticism from former prosecutors and observers who see this as shirking judicial responsibilities or cautious resistance.
• Trump’s strategy to install unconfirmed loyalists as top federal prosecutors has faced legal pushback in other states, with courts ruling some appointments illegal and critics calling the practice unconstitutional for circumventing Senate confirmation.
• Senators Adam Schiff and Cory Booker are working on legislation to clarify and protect the appointment process for U.S. attorneys, aiming to prevent future presidents from bypassing Senate oversight, though passage faces significant political challenges.